Council meetings like reality TV

Live broadcasts of Greeley City Council meetings sometimes come off like a reality TV show about a dysfunctional family, according to some viewers.

During the campaign season, council tensions and personal agendas were so apparent that a few candidates made council relationships an election issue.

But incoming Greeley Mayor Tom Selders hopes the council will morph into a more harmonious group – even if it takes an outsider to teach members how to play nicer.

“I am very concerned that we are really impeding the progress of government and really are losing the interest of people when we get bogged down in flashes of personality and putting things off,” Selders said. “… Our citizens really lose interest in government when they see that happening.”

Ultimately, he said, the goal is to build a council that is more prone to making crisp decisions and compromising with each other.

That was a tricky task for outgoing Mayor Jerry Wones, who searched for ways to strengthen council relationships.

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For example, Wones invited council members to a party at his place to generate goodwill among those who might otherwise take potshots at each other on air and off.

Wones last week declined to give details about the dynamics that may have strained relationships between outgoing council members.

But he predicts that after new members take office, they will come in full of ideas, energy and a cooperative attitude.

“I suspect they will get off to a very good start and be very cooperative,” Wones said. “Ultimately, though, the honeymoon period ends and the reality of the city budget and everything else starts to kick in. There are going to be some tough choices to make because there’s never enough money to do everything that everyone wants to do. … That’s where the rub is.”

Selders intends to push hard for more cooperation, which was lacking sometimes with the old council, he said.

For example, the council put off important decisions – such as whether to change the city’s RV parking rules – in part because council members could not agree on how the rules ought to be tweaked.

“In my mind, it’s really inexcusable for the council to let that happen,” Selders said.

Wones is confident Selders and Greeley Mayor pro-tem Debbie Pilch will help the new council get organized and get along.

For now, Selders is setting up getting-to-know-you chats with council members and is tossing around the idea of bringing in an outside source to teach the group how to improve interaction skills.

In the end, Wones said, it will take effort from all of the council members to get along.

Pilch thinks the council will need to act swiftly to make that happen.

“I believe we, as a new council, will need to decide on doing something together to build our team from the beginning,” Pilch said. “I think it’s important for us to know where we all are coming from and get to know each other.”

That could make for kinder, friendlier relationships among council members – and sweeter viewing for the audience.

“They have to understand that they are a team,” said former city Councilwoman Carole Anderson, who sometimes watches council meetings on TV. “I think they can get along with a little bit of effort. Let’s put the divisiveness aside and step forward.”